


What They Have

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [261]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, M/M, fisherman Benny, merman Sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 21:43:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8302219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: Changing species is a thing of fairy tales. So they take what they can get.





	

* * *

Benny fishes alone. It’s a rarity in today’s market, although it has more to do with the fact that Benny inherited his great-grandfather’s small fishing business than any personal choice in the matter. It’s enough to sustain him, selling enough at market to get by, and little more. But it’s a living.

Benny fishing alone is very convenient for Sam, who, for obvious reasons, could not join Benny if Benny worked on a large, commercial vessel with a dozen or more people.

Benny and Sam met when Benny was seventeen and “borrowing” the boat while on an enforced family vacation for the evening, and Sam is the beginning and the end of the explanation as to why Benny offered to take over the business.

Benny is out on the water as the sun comes up, and as soon as he gets settled, Sam will appear at the side of his boat, grinning and hauling himself inside. He likes to sit on the little deck chair Benny brings him, tail spread out in the sun, body relaxing, hard abs earned from swimming entirely on display.

Sam saved Benny from drowning that summer. The waters had gotten choppy, and Benny had had a beer or three, and he’d tipped the wrong way overboard. Sam had grabbed him up, kept him afloat, and gotten him back on the boat. When Benny woke up and sobered up, Sam was still there, watching over him. Whenever Benny’s on the water since, Sam is there too.

He’d offered, once, to change species for Sam. “Like in the fairytales,” he says. “Find a sea witch or whatever. Gimme that potion, I’ll take it.”

Sam had cocked his head. “I don’t think that’s possible,” he said. “I think you’re stuck as the species you’re born as.”

Benny would change for Sam, and Sam would probably change for Benny. But they can’t, and it turns out, they don’t really have to. They like what they have.

Today, Benny sets up his nets, then hands Sam a beer and grabs one for himself. Drinking while working isn’t promoted anywhere else, but Benny’s pretty lax on his own boat.

Turns out alcohol isn’t much of a thing under the sea, so Sam is always grateful for the beers. He raises it in a half salute, then sips.

Sam watches Benny work throughout the morning, as the sun climbs higher and higher, making the sweat drip down Benny’s back. Benny doesn’t think it’s fair, but then again, he does like the way Sam’s eyes play over him all day long.

Finally, he takes a break, sitting next to Sam, wrapping an arm around the merman’s shoulders. Sam leans into his side.

“This is nice,” Sam says lowly, rubbing his head against Benny’s shoulder.

Benny hummed his agreement. Every day out here on the water with Sam is nice, he thinks. He tilts his head and kisses Sam’s cheek. 

He’ll take a million days like this over anything else.

Eventually, he has to get up and get back to work, Sam still watching him from his chair. When it starts getting late, Benny turns the boat around and starts to head in. After a while, they draw too close to land.

Benny goes over to Sam and kisses him one more time, Sam using his hands on the back of Benny’s head to pull him even more firmly into the kiss. Then Benny carries Sam to the side of the boat and lets Sam slide into the water. Sam blows a kiss, then disappears below.

It hurts a bit, to see the one he loves so much leave, but it’s okay. Tomorrow will be just like today. Sam always comes back to him.


End file.
